Featured Research

from universities, journals, and other organizations

Superhalogens: New class of magic atomic clusters discovered

Date:

February 12, 2011

Source:

Virginia Commonwealth University

Summary:

An international team of researchers has discovered a new class of magnetic superhalogens -- a class of atomic clusters able to exhibit unusual stability at a specific size and composition, which may be used to advance materials science by allowing scientists to create a new class of salts with magnetic and super-oxidizing properties not previously found.

Credit: Image courtesy of Puru Jena, Ph.D./VCU, and Anil Kandalam, Ph.D./McNeese State University

An international team of researchers has discovered a new class of magnetic superhalogens -- a class of atomic clusters able to exhibit unusual stability at a specific size and composition, which may be used to advance materials science by allowing scientists to create a new class of salts with magnetic and super-oxidizing properties not previously found.

Related Articles

The discovery, which was published Feb. 10 in the Early View issue of the international chemistry journal Angewandte Chemie International Edition, was based on theoretical work by researchers from Virginia Commonwealth University, McNeese State University, and Peking University in China, and experimental work at Johns Hopkins University.

Unlike conventional superhalogens that are composed of a metal atom at the core and surrounded by halogen atoms, the magnetic superhalogens discovered by this team are composed of stoichiometric metal-halogen moieties at the core to which an additional halogen is attached.

The new chemical species known as magnetic superhalogens mimic the chemistry of halogens which are a class of elements from the periodic table, namely, iodine, astatine, bromine, fluorine and chlorine. The word halogen means "salt-former," and when one of the elements above combines with sodium, they can form a salt.

Specifically, the cluster is MnxCl2x+1, where x = 1, 2, 3, and so on, have manganese and chlorine atoms as a core to which only one chlorine atom is attached. The manganese atoms carry a large magnetic moment and therefore make these superhalogens magnetic.

"One can now design and synthesize yet unknown magnetic superhalogens by changing the metal atom from manganese to other transition metal atoms and changing chlorine to other halogen atoms. In addition to their use as oxidizing agents, being magnetic opens the door to the synthesis a new class of salts," said lead investigator Puru Jena, Ph.D., distinguished professor of physics at VCU.

According to Jena, superhalogens are like halogens, in the sense they form negative ions, but their affinity to attract electrons is far greater than those of any halogen atoms. Negative ions are useful as oxidizing agents, for purification of air and in serotonin release for uplifting mood.

"Superhalogens can do the same thing as halogens can do, only better," said Jena. "The ability of superhalogens to carry large quantities of fluorine and chlorine can be used for combating biological agents as well."

"In addition, superhalogens, due to their large electron affinity, can involve inner core electrons of metal atoms in chemical reaction, thus fundamentally giving rise to new chemistry," said Jena.

In October, Jena and his colleagues reported the discovery of a new class of highly electronegative chemical species called hyperhalogens, which use superhalogens as building blocks around a metal atom. The chemical species may have application in many industries.

Jena collaborated with researchers Qian Wang, Ph.D., with the Department of Physics at VCU; Kiran Boggavarapu, Ph.D., with the Department of Chemistry at McNeese State University, and Anil K. Kandalam, Ph.D., with the Department of Physics at McNeese State University; Qiang Sun, Ph.D., and graduate student, Miao Miao Wu, with VCU's Department of Physics at Peking University; and Haopeng Wang and Yeon Jae Ko, both graduate students, and Kit H. Bowen, Ph.D., all with the Department of Chemistry at Johns Hopkins University.

The work was supported in part by the federal Defense Threat Reduction Agency and the Department of Energy.

More From ScienceDaily

More Matter & Energy News

Featured Research

Mar. 3, 2015 — Micro-drones are already being put to use in a large number of areas: These small aircraft face extensive requirements when performing aerial observation tasks or when deployed in the field of ... full story

Mar. 3, 2015 — Physicists have shown for the first time that electrons in graphene can be moved along a predefined path. This movement occurs entirely without loss and could provide a basis for numerous ... full story

Mar. 3, 2015 — Magnetic vortex structures, so-called skyrmions, could in future store and process information very efficiently. They could also be the basis for high-frequency components. For the first time, a team ... full story

Mar. 2, 2015 — For the first time, researchers have produced a 3-D image revealing part of the inner structure of an intact, infectious virus, using a unique X-ray laser. The virus, called Mimivirus, is in a ... full story

Mar. 2, 2015 — What do a human colon, septic tank, copper nanoparticles and zebrafish have in common? They were the key components used by researchers to study the impact copper nanoparticles, which are found in ... full story

Mar. 2, 2015 — A new simple tool developed by nanoengineers is opening the door to an era when anyone will be able to build sensors, anywhere, including physicians in the clinic, patients in their home and soldiers ... full story

Mar. 2, 2015 — A new twist on an old tool lets scientists use light to study and control matter with 1,000 times better resolution and precision than previously possible. Physicists have demonstrated "ponderomotive ... full story

Mar. 2, 2015 — Scientists report that they could observe experimentally the current flow along channels at the crystal surfaces of topological insulators. The channels are less than one nanometer wide and extend ... full story

Featured Videos

Forensic Holodeck Creates 3D Crime Scenes

Reuters - Innovations Video Online (Mar. 3, 2015) — A holodeck is no longer the preserve of TV sci-fi classic Star Trek, thanks to researchers from the Institute of Forensic Medicine Zurich, who have created what they say is the first system in the world to visualise the 3D data of forensic scans. Jim Drury saw it in operation.
Video provided by Reuters

Solar Plane Passes New Test Ahead of World Tour

AFP (Mar. 2, 2015) — A solar-powered plane made a third successful test flight in the United Arab Emirates on Monday ahead of a planned round-the-world tour to promote alternative energy. Duration: 01:05
Video provided by AFP

Electric Hydrofoiling Watercraft Delivers Eco-Friendly Thrills

Reuters - Innovations Video Online (Mar. 2, 2015) — The Quadrofoil is a high-tech electric personal watercraft that its makers call a &apos;sports car for the water&apos;. When it hits 10 km/h, the Slovenian-engineered Quadrofoil is lifted above the water onto four wing-like hydrofoils where it &apos;flies&apos; above the surface with minimal water resistance. Matthew Stock reports.
Video provided by Reuters

Related Stories

Oct. 24, 2014 — Physics researchers have discovered that most of the electrolytes used in lithium-ion batteries -- commonly found in consumer electronic devices -- are superhalogens, and that the vast majority of ... full story

Mar. 15, 2011 — Engineering researchers have found a way to improve the performance of ferroelectric materials, which have the potential to make memory devices with more storage capacity than magnetic hard drives ... full story

Oct. 8, 2010 — Researchers have discovered a new class of highly electronegative chemical species called hyperhalogens, which use superhalogens as building blocks around a metal atom. The new chemical species may ... full story

Sep. 10, 2010 — Researchers have discovered a magnetic signature that occurs universally among all iron-based superconductors, even if the parent compounds from which the superconductors are made possess different ... full story

ScienceDaily features breaking news and videos about the latest discoveries in health, technology, the environment, and more -- from major news services and leading universities, scientific journals, and research organizations.